They said 'YES"

We got a call from our agency yesterday and they said we could move forward to adopt a little girl we have been interested in for a month. We first saw her through a waiting child e-mail from AGCI. Travis e-mailed to get more information about her and we started praying about her and how she could fit in our family. After a long weekend we notified AGCI that we were interested but evidently so were some other families. Since she is in between Thatcher and Sebastian, it would break birth order, something they don't like to do. So we were told they were going to go with another family. We were so sad about that, but knew God had a plan for her and us. We had the door open and shut for her 2 more times. Throughout this rollercoaster ride we never doubted God's plan, whether this plan had her in our family or not. We don't know why it went this route or why we had to be disappointed, but we are rejoicing now.
Our heads are spinning with what is to come the next couple of months. Our prayers are heavy for her and her health issues, whatever they may be. We pray God will prepare her heart for what's to come. And for our boys hearts to be open to her and not doubt our unconditional love for them.
We have lots of planning to do, rooms to rearrange, painting. And the thing I have been waiting to do since we started having children but was never able to do, SHOP FOR GIRL CLOTHES!!!!
We have no idea what size she is but we know she is really small for her age, so we won't buy too many right away. Even though the idea is exciting for me, I know our focus will not be on clothes when we get her.
I can't wait to be able to post pics for the world to see our new family member!!!

Learning a new language

Today we got a book we ordered, Amharic, A Complete Language Course. We thought we should learn as much as we could before we travel to Ethiopia. As we started reading the book, we realized this is a language you have to actually hear to learn. So we are going to have to find some tapes.....But we are excited to get started. In a way, it makes us feel closer to her and her country and it gives us something productive to do while we wait.

new number

We got an update today and we have moved to number 43!!! We couldn't believe it-2 in a matter of 4 days.

We had a breakthrough today with O! So far he has been reluctant to talk about the idea of a new sister, insisting we need another boy. But today he actually voluntarily said, "will sebastian still be a baby when we get our sister?" I was shocked and giddy at the same time. He is acknowledging that it is going to happen and it will be a girl. I can't wait to see them all together, and now with a little pink mixed in.

NUMBER 45!!!!

We got a call from our case manager on Friday. She reviewed our dossier and everything was in order and correct so we were able to be put on the waiting list. I was so nervous about sending it in, I was sure something was going to be wrong and we would have to redo something. I was suprised when she said everything looked good-whew!!! It was a relief to get that out of our hands and out of our heads. It was a constant feeling of something hanging over our heads until we sent it in.
We are number 45 for a girl and number 11 for siblings.
Now all we have to do is wait. Not my favorite thing to do, by far. But we know God's timing is PERFECT and He is not one minute late on His plan. So we can confidently wait knowing that!! We have dreamed about this moment-getting on the wait list. We never thought it would come, well, looking at the mountain of work and fees at the beginning it is hard to imagine yourself getting to this point.
Thanks to those who have made contributions to our adoption-we couldn't have made it this far without you!!!!! I should try and create a name for her using all of your initials, since you were such a big part of his. LOL!!

MAILED OUR DOSSIER

We mailed our dossier today!!! It was Travis's anniversary present to me, he handed me our packet of papers with the check we needed to mail in. I was soooooooo excited and shocked. He had waited since Monday to tell me. Defininately the best anniversary we have ever had!!

So now we will wait to hear if everything we prepared is in order and then we will be on the wait list and we will be assigned a number. What the number is exactly isn't a big deal to us, just knowing we have done all we can do for this part. God has worked through this process, it has been amazing to see it. Oh, the story we have to tell other prospective adoptive parents.

God's Mission: Adoption

When we come to Christ, God not only forgives us, He adopts us. Through a dramatic series of events, we go from orphans with no hope to adopted children with no fear. Here is how it happens. You come before the judgment seat of God full of rebellion and mistakes. Because of His justice He cannot dismiss your sin, but because of His love He cannot dismiss you. So, in an act which stunned the heavens, He punished Himself on the cross for your sins. God's justice and love are equally honored. And you, God's creations, are forgiven. But the story doesn't end with God's forgiveness.

For we have not received a Spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out "Abba! Father!" the Spirit himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God. (Romans 8:15)

It would be enough if God just cleansed your name, but he does more. He gives you His name. It would be enough if God just set you free, but He does more. He takes you home. He takes you home the Great House of God.

Adoptive parents understand this more than anyone. I certainly don't mean to offend any biological parents-I''m one myself. We biological parents know well the earnest longing to have a child. But in many cases our cribs are filled easily. We decided to have a child and a child came. In fact, sometimes the child came with no decision. I've heard of unplanned pregnancies, but I've never heard of an unplanned adoption.

That's why adoptive parents understand God's passion to adopt us. They know what it means to feel an empty space inside. They know what it means to hunt, to set out on a mission, and take responsibility for a child with a spotted past and a dubious future. If anybody understands God's ardor for His children, it's someone who has rescued an orphan from despair, for that is what God has done for us.

God has adopted you. God sought you, found you, signed the papers and took you home.

Max Lucado
From The Great House of God

Finalized Homestudy

We just got our finalized homestudy in the mail today!!! AGCI has approved it and we are set to send in our dossier.
We can't wait to get on the waiting list.
The orphan ministry at our church is underway and we are excited to see our vision come to life. The committee has met a couple times so far and we are ironing out our vision and the details. We hope we can help spread awareness for the need for families to open the hearts and homes to orphans worldwide and to assist families who are going through the adoption process, financially and emotionally. We want to see orphans united with their forever families so they can ultimately have a chance to know the ONE who loves them the most, their heavenly father.
GIVE.HOPE.ADOPT